There are plenty of options for hosting treasure hunts and games to hunt for treasure to break the ice during gatherings with friends and family not just during Christmas, but throughout the year. We also have an tried and tested method to ensure that the opening of gifts at Christmas Day is slow burning entertaining instead of a paper tearing excitement.
There’s nothing quite like party-themed treasure hunts and hunt games to be an opportunity to break the ice of friends and families. The best part is that everyone is able to participate.
It’s possible to gather adults and children in groups or pairs to hunt together, and when they’ve finished the hunt, they’ll be friends from the past.
One unique twist when playing our treasure hunting is to add an anagram of the location where the treasure is located.
You could, for instance, prefer to place the gifts in the underside of the Christmas tree, or in a container or bag. Any kind of hiding spot can be used, however you must be able write it with the same letters that you can find clues. If eleven clues are available you can decorate the cardboard box with a message on it Christmas boxes or even a big bag with a Christmas tag and write it on. If you have 12 clues, you could decorate a Christmas tree and more.
You’ll need to add a letter to each item on your treasure hunting trail. It is a good idea to arrange the letters to ensure that the location of the treasure isn’t revealed until the clues are uncovered!
It is up to you to choose the prize you’ll be awarded such as a prize only for the team that wins and a prize for everyone, with the top two teams getting the first choice, a tiny wrapped gift for each participant with their name written on it , or something that everyone can enjoy to take with everyone equally (such as a huge box of sweets.) The choice is yours.
For Christmas Day, a really efficient way to avoid the stress of wrapping presents is to place the gifts in the form of a treasure hunt. It starts with an email by Father Christmas (FC) saying that he’s feeling silly this year (our children’s chorus: “AGAIN!”) and has put their presents in a cupboard. To locate them, they’ll need to figure out the clues hidden in the envelope he left. (When our children were young, we used to make trails of foil stars on the gifts, rather than using clues.)
We usually let children solve three puzzles, then open these presents and have fun before moving on to the next set. For the first time, we’ll put an adult present to discover in the same way as the caches for the children to solve an answer. As they get older (15 12 and 10 years old) and six) the three oldest write clues for us during the weeks leading up to Christmas. The youngest believes it’s entirely the job of FC. There are usually around fifty clues prior to lunch.
It doesn’t matter if it’s only the family members involved or a bigger group of kids, family and friends, one thing that is worthwhile doing is making the rules of treasure hunting prior to the hunt gets underway. What better way to set the rules than to crib those we have in our homes!
Please only hunt within zones that you’ve been informed are areas for treasure hunting. All other areas are prohibited.
* You could try to fool other teams or players by tricking them or double-backing at times. These clever moves can make the game more enjoyable!
Keep your answers private so that you don’t provide the other assistance by shouting in excitement.
Once you’ve solved the 12 puzzles and have filled in the 12 letters that you’ve found, take your hunt sheet to me, and I’ll verify it.
You can arrange the letters you’ve discovered to clarify what treasure may be hiding.
Treasure hunts are a constant hit for get-togethers and parties no matter what the occasion. You can also customize them to match themed birthday celebrations like football, pirates, princesses golf, or whatever else you like. All you have to do is create riddles that will help you find items connected to the theme you choose. The easiest solution is to find someone else to complete the heavy lifting, which is the place Blackbird Games come in!
Have a fantastic treasure hunt event!
Blackbird Games specialises in kids and all ages games for parties as well as treasure hunts. If you’re not able to find one suitable for your event we’ll be happy to design one to suit your needs around an event or theme.
Perfect to play Xmas games, birthday parties, and family gatherings, Krysia and Terry the directors from Blackbird Games know they have one of the most enjoyable games ever, because they’ve made and played these games with their family and friends through many years. They always have children and adults having fun.